| The word arthritis can be translated as "joint | | | | to need a balanced pressure to release the nutrients |
| inflammation." It's not very accurate of a term, | | | | from the fluid from the joint it's sitting in. |
| however, since there really is no actual inflammation, | | | | When the balance is off, the cartilage in the joint can |
| there is, however, a deterioration of the surface of | | | | soften and swell then minute blisters and sometimes |
| the joint, (also known as the joint cartilage) which | | | | small fissures can form, which in turn break into |
| results in the bone underneath being exposed, a | | | | things called fibrils. These fibrils can then break away |
| shrinking of the space of the joint, and a maddening | | | | from the knee tissue and get stuck in the fluid |
| nagging type of pain that can drive the person | | | | around the knee. This process releases bad enzymes |
| suffering from it mad. | | | | throughout the knee and can cause serious problems. |
| To be clear, the type of arthritis found in the knee is | | | | Where the abnormal plica (A plica is a fold of the |
| most often osteoarthritis, not the more common and | | | | soft inner lining of the knee joint 'the 'synovium') |
| more crippling rheumatoid arthritis found in the rest | | | | touches the bone underneath the knee, it can |
| of the body. It can be caused in the knee by | | | | become red and thickened. The underlying surface of |
| average wear or by an injury of some kind. Often it's | | | | the joint can become tender and the exact same |
| caused by the kneecap not tracking - or moving - | | | | cycle of destruction of enzyme release described |
| properly against the rest of the knee structure. | | | | above that spreads damage to other parts of the |
| It can begin an entire sequence of inflammation, | | | | knee joint. |
| which leads to softening of the joint surface, then | | | | When the cohesion of the knees' natural cushion is |
| local destruction of the joint surface which leads to | | | | reduced, the joint can become unstable. A piece of |
| chemical substances being released into the joint. The | | | | loose cartilage can also move over and immobilize the |
| chemicals, however, end up doing more harm than | | | | joint, damaging the front of the knee even further. |
| good and start off a harmful chain reaction in the | | | | The joint will then undergo essentially the same |
| entire joint. | | | | destructive course, with the damaging enzyme |
| The original cause of the arthritis is almost irrelevant, | | | | further infiltrating the knee. |
| the wrong treatment or no treatment at all can lead | | | | The one positive when it comes to osteoarthritis of |
| the patient to the same suffering. | | | | the knee is that it is not a sign that you will be more |
| When the kneecap isn't moving correctly within the | | | | likely to suffer arthritis in your other joints. Most knee |
| knee itself, part of it presses against the femur in | | | | arthritis is caused by a physical problem within the |
| the leg too hard, while the rest of the kneecap | | | | knee itself and if identified and repaired early enough, |
| presses against it with not enough pressure. The | | | | recovery is likely and a lifetime of healthy knees is |
| balance of the kneecap is thrown off, and this can | | | | possible. |
| cause serious problems since the kneecap is designed | | | | |